Tuesday, January 21, 2014

He
was Gen. Robert E. Lee's strong right arm. He was unarguably one of
the best battle field commanders of any army, anywhere, ever. His
tactics are still taught in military institutes around the world to this
day.

Jackson was a brilliant military strategist. But he was much more. He was the lynch pin upon which southern victory in the War for Southern Independence depended.

Thomas
J. Jackson¹ was born in Clarksburg, Virginia (Later to become West
Virginia) WV on January 21st, 1824. At the tender age of two years he
was at his sister's bedside when she died of typhoid fever. A few days
later, his father died, also. That left Thomas' mother, Julia, with
three small children to support through teaching school and sewing, so
she remarried one Blake Woodson. Then, she died in 1830 during the
birth of Thomas' half brother.

Thomas then moved in with his uncle Cummins Jackson and worked on the farm.

Jackson's education was basic, rudimentary, even. In fact, Thomas taught himself to read. Later he became a school teacher.

Jackson as a young US Officer

Thomas
was appointed to West Point in 1842 and as a result of his lack of
formal education, he had to begin at the very bottom of the class. When
he graduated, in 1846, he had worked his way up to 17th in a class of
59 students. By the way, Thomas' class at West Point supplied 24 generals -- for both sides -- in the War Between the States.

He
served in the Mexican War as a 2nd lieutenant but received brevet
promotions to 1st lieutenant and then to major for his bravery.

When
the Mexican War was concluded Jackson accept a teaching position at VMI
(Virginia Military Institute). He was a professor teaching Natural
and Experimental Philosophy, and he was also an artillery instructor. He was a tough, no nonsense, instructor and his students did not like him very much.

When the WBTS began, Jackson was given a colonelcy in the Virginia Militia. A
month later Jackson was promoted to brigadier general and given
command of a brigade consisting of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th and 33rd
Virginia Infantry regiments.

Jackson was utterly
fearless under fire. In the early fighting at Manassas, federal troops
were making advances and appeared to about to win the day. Jackson
refused to budge his troops and eventually the tide of battle turned and
the Confederates won a decisive victory.

Jackson's cool demeanor under fire at Manassas caused Brigadier General Barnard Bee to remark: "There stands Jackson like a stone wall.” The name stuck and Thomas Jackson became "Stonewall" Jackson and his brigade the "Stonewall" Brigade.

" ... Jackson’s operations became strategically critical to the entire eastern theater of the war.

Stonewall
would march south, to McDowell, and defeat troops under US Brigadier
General Robert Schenck. From there, he would move north and defeat
Banks’s army at Front Royal, and Winchester. He would push Banks clear
out of the Shenandoah Valley. Jackson would turn south, and defeat US
Major General John C. Fremont, at Cross Keys, and then turn on US
Brigadier General James Shields at Port Republic. Accolades would
abound for Jackson after his brilliant Shenandoah Campaign. With the
valley secure, Jackson was ordered east, by R.E. Lee to reinforce the
Army of Northern Virginia, now under his command. He would arrive in
time to participate in the Seven Days battles, pushing McClellan from
the peninsula.

Jackson would continue to command brilliantly,
with an overwhelming victory at Second Manassas, a tactical, well fought
draw at Antietam and another sound victory in December 1862, at
Fredericksburg. For his efforts, Jackson would be promoted lieutenant
general, along with James Longstreet, in October 1862. -- SOURCE: http://thismightyscourge.com/2009/01/21/thomas-j-stonewall-jackson/

May
2nd, 1863 was to be a fateful day for "Stonewall" Jackson and for the
South. After successfully routing federal troops under Gen. Joe Hooker
near Chancellorsville, " ... after dark on May 2, Stonewall, along
with A.P. Hill and staff, were reconnoitering the enemy lines – making
plans to finish Hooker off, on May 3. When returning, his contingent
would be fired on by his own troops. Jackson was seriously injured in
the shoulder. He passed command to A.P. Hill, who due to his injury was
unable to command, passed it to J.E.B. Stuart. That night, Jackson’s
personal physician, Dr. Hunter McGuire would amputate Jackson’s left
arm. Upon hearing of Jackson’s wounding, Lee was heard to say, “he has
lost his left arm; but I lost my right arm.” -- SOURCE:http://thismightyscourge.com/2009/01/21/thomas-j-stonewall-jackson/

Jackson
was taken to Fairfield Plantation near Guinea Station, Jackson appeared
to rally, but then contracted pneumonia. When Jackson's wife told him
that Sunday that he was dying, Jackson said: “It is the Lord’s Day; my wish is fulfilled. I have always desired to die on Sunday.”

Dr. Hunter McGuire, the attending physician, recorded Jackson;s last words: “Order A.P. Hill to prepare for action! Pass the infantry to the front rapidly! Tell major Hawks….” Then Jackson stopped. Finally, with a faint smile on his face he said, “Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.” At that point, Jackson stopped breathing. -- SOURCE:http://thismightyscourge.com/2009/01/21/thomas-j-stonewall-jackson/

It
was a devastating blow to the south. Many believe the WBTS would have
had a different ending had "Stonewall" Jackson lived. There has been
much speculation that Had Jackson been there to advise General Lee at
Gettysburg, that awful battle would likely never have happened. Had it
happened, it is fairly certain that Pickett's Charge would not have
occurred.

Jackson was a devout Christian who believed in
predestination. Some say he saw himself as an instrument of God’s will,
an Old Testament–style commander of armies in the service of his Lord. (http://www.historynet.com/stonewall-jackson)

"Like
many Southerners, Jackson struggled with his feelings about the
institution of slavery, but it obviously was God’s will that it exist—a
belief widely held in the South. In 1855, he began teaching Sunday
school classes to slaves in Lexington, a violation of Virginia’s
segregation laws. Slaves came to know him through these classes and
sometimes begged him to buy them so they wouldn’t be sold into the Deep
South where they might be worked literally to death. In 1906, long after
Jackson’s death, Reverend L. L. Downing, whose parents had been among
the slaves in Jackson’s Sunday school, raised money to have a memorial
window dedicated to him in the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church of
Roanoke, Virginia—likely making "Stonewall" the only Confederate general
to have a memorial in an African American church." -- SOURCE:http://www.historynet.com/stonewall-jackson

The only man held in higher esteem than Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson in the South is General Robert E. Lee. He was tough. He demanded nothing less than 100% effort by his men and he got it -- every time.

Stonewall is a hero worthy of our praise. We proudly remember him today, on the anniversary of his birth.
J. D. Longstreet
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